Monthly Archives: November 2015

1. Listen to your critique group. When I first began to write, I was fortunate to meet some wonderful writers who became fabulous friends. We met regularly to work on our manuscripts. We worked to give constructive feedback to one another and because we listened to each other, our writing got better. We listened when the group told us the funny parts weren’t really all that funny. We listened when the group thought our chapters were too long. We listened when the group couldn’t relate to our characters. Listening to the group’s honest feedback made us dig deeper into our stories, making them stronger and better.
2. Listen to other authors. Most writers know that writing begins with reading, but some writers don’t take that to heart. If you want to write funny picture books, read funny picture books. If you want write a mystery series, read mysteries series. If you want to write children’s poetry, read the children’s poetry that’s being published. But when you read the genre you’re trying to write, don’t just read it as a reader would, read it as a writer would and “listen.” Really listen to the way the author tells the story. Then go to your story and see if yours sounds the same way when you really listen to it. Doing this might help you see how your story is falling short.
3. Listen to writing teachers. If you have the opportunity, take a writing class or go to a writing workshop or conference. Learn everything you can firsthand from experts, but don’t just go and take notes and network. Really listen to what the experts are trying to teach you about writing and then go home and do it in your own writing. If the classes, conferences and workshops are out of your reach, read books about writing or watch a DVD. You can learn plenty if you really listen and apply what is being taught to your own manuscript.
4. Listen to your editor. When you finally get your big break, and an editor wants to work with you, be sure you’re ready to listen. Don’t be defensive. Don’t be argumentative. Listen. Listen to their feedback. They love your story or they wouldn’t be working with you. They want what’s best for you and your story, and good editors always have a vision for what your book can really be. Listen to them and let them guide you. If you do, in the end, your book will be more than you ever imagined it could be.
5. Listen to yourself. Throughout all this listening, as you are learning and taking advice from all of these sources, don’t forget to be true to yourself and your story. You don’t always have to take everyone’s suggestions. If after you listen, you realize someone’s advice is not what’s truly best for your story, stand your ground and stay true to yourself. But remember, standing true in this way, can only be done if you’ve first taken the time to really listen.
6. Listen to reviews. When your book is finally published, lots of people will have lots of things to say about it. Some good. Some maybe not so good. Listen to it all and glean what you can from it. Use it as a learning experience for the new project you’re working on. Maybe the reviews of your present book will teach you things that will make your next book even better.

Revision requires patience and can even be painful at times, but it’s the only way your writing will ever improve. Following these six keys to revision will help you find the path that leads to making your story as wonderful as it can be.

There are many different genres within creative nonfiction: memoir, biography, autobiography, and personal essays, just to name a few.

Here are six simple guidelines to follow when writing creative nonfiction:
1. Get your facts straight. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing your own story or someone else’s. If readers, publishers, and the media find out you’ve taken liberty with the truth of what happened, you and your work will be ridiculed and scrutinized. You’ll lose credibility. If you can’t help yourself from lying, then think about writing fiction instead.
2. Issue a disclaimer. Most nonfiction is written from memory, and we all know that human memory is deeply flawed. It’s almost impossible to recall a conversation word for word. You might forget minor details, like the color of a dress or the make and model of a car. If you aren’t sure about the details but are determined to include them, be upfront and plan on issuing a disclaimer that clarifies the creative liberties you’ve taken.
3. Consider the repercussions. If you’re writing about other people (even if they are secondary figures), you might want to check with them before you publish your nonfiction. Some people are extremely private and don’t want any details of their lives published. Others might request that you leave certain things out, which they feel are personal. Otherwise, make sure you’ve weighed the repercussions of revealing other people’s lives to the world. Relationships have been both strengthened and destroyed as a result of authors publishing the details of other people’s lives.
4. Be objective. You don’t need to be overly objective if you’re telling your own, personal story. However, nobody wants to read a highly biased biography. Book reviews for biographies are packed with heavy criticism for authors who didn’t fact-check or provide references and for those who leave out important information or pick and choose which details to include to make the subject look good or bad.
5. Pay attention to language. You’re not writing a textbook, so make full use of language, literary devices, and storytelling techniques.
6. Know your audience. Creative nonfiction sells, but you must have an interested audience. A memoir about an ordinary person’s first year of college isn’t especially interesting. Who’s going to read it? However, a memoir about someone with a learning disability navigating the first year of college is quite compelling, and there’s an identifiable audience for it. When writing creative nonfiction, a clearly defined audience is essential.